


Running (away from them, and towards you)

by orphan_account



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Almost everyone is a pirate, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, M/M, Sad Ending, also an unnamed female character but shes important, also sang and joong are siblings, and the sons of a duchess, but hes kind of dead, but its not really specified, characters might be a bit ooc i apologize, except for wooyoung and sang and joong, idk how to tag ok, jongho is mentioned like three times, the boys are way too casual for being on a pirate ship, there are mentions of yunho and jongho together, woosan is canon but its kind of (very) toxic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-25 09:55:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22254265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Kang Yeosang and Kim Hongjoong are step siblings, the sons of a duchess. They've got servants helping them with everything, and guards trailing them everywhere, keeping them safe. Amazing, right? I think not.They just want to run away, to leave this place, to leave their mother's mansion, with all the bright lights and doting servants.They do, one day. They run into some pirates, more willingly than not. As scary as it was at first, it's exciting, getting to see the sea, to see the pirates themselves, even. They fall in love, and all is well.Until, one day, it isn't.
Relationships: Kang Yeosang/Park Seonghwa, Kim Hongjoong/Song Mingi, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	Running (away from them, and towards you)

**Author's Note:**

> As a second warning, there are characters that die in this. It's kind of dramatic, but filled with feels nonetheless. Probably won't make you cry, but I warned you. Characters might be a bit ooc, but i tried writing them as best as i could.
> 
> This is actually my first fanfiction I ever posted, so please be gentle with me,,,

♔ - K. Hongjoong.  
♚ - K. Yeosang.

• • •

They've been running for so long that they cant feel their legs. Their breaths come out in short, rapid puffs, and their lungs feel like they're on fire, like a newspaper burnt to ash by a curious kid and the match he stole from his mother. But they keep running anyway. 

They're barefoot on the sand, and it's getting everywhere : their clothes, their hair, their eyes. But they keep running anyway.

Both their blazers were long abandoned, somewhere next to a tree, in the park near their house. Their mom will find it soon. She won't find neither of her sons in the house, and she'll freak out, call the guards, call the police. Maybe it wasn't the best decision to run in suit pants, but they have to run. Their mom come after them, and take away this last bit of freedom that they have. So that's why they keep running.

They run until their legs are about to give out, they run until they're panting so much they have to stop. The younger sees something in front. A ship. It's the only escape they've got at this point. He gestures to it with his hand, but doesn't say a word. Someone could hear them.

The older nods, and they walk to it, this time in silence. They get on. No one seems to be there.

"Below deck. We have to get below the deck." The older says, barely a whisper. The younger nods, and they walk down silently. 

In their daze, they don't see the people passed out around, or the light coming from the captain's cabin. They don't see the flag on top of the topmast, the white skull and bones visible on the black background even in the middle of the night. They don't see the two guys perched up on top of the ship's sails, staring at them.

"Who do you think they are?" The shorter one asks. There's a white strand in his hair, that stands out from his otherwise dark brown hair. He's got a delicate silver bracelet on his right hand, and an odd, curved sword strapped to his hip.

The taller one shrugs, but knows the younger can't see him in the dark. "We'll look into it in the morning." He responds to the boy's question. He's got light blond hair, which is way, way straighter than the boy himself. He's got two guns strapped to his belt, and a small gold pendant around his neck.

"They looked pretty important, though." The taller one continues, as an afterthought. "I'll go tell the Captain, and we'll see what he says." He one says, and jumps down onto the main deck, barely making any noise. 

As his friend moves towards the Captain's cabin, San looks up, to the stars. He sighs. 

"Those guys really did look important. Maybe they're some nobles or something." He whispers, knowing that only the stars can hear. "And if they're not, we'll just kick them off. We have to sail tomorrow at noon, why would we even keep freeloaders on the ship?" He continues saying his thoughts, knowing the stars won't judge him. At one point, he closes his eyes. Just for a few seconds.

San doesn't remember falling asleep up on the sail, but the next thing he knows, Yunho's shaking him awake, and the sun's already in the sky.

"Come on. Let's go wake them up." Yunho says, smiling. San hops down to the main deck, ignoring the pain in his lower back.

♔

Hongjoong woke up with a gun pointed at his forehead, but it wasn't the guy he saw a few days ago. You know, the tall, red haired one, with the gun and the silk gloves, the one that saved him. It was a different guy, that had to be taller than him. But again, everyone is taller than Hongjoong, so that shouldn't be a surprise.

He saw Yeosang flinch next to him, as the sound of laughter from above decks got louder and louder, but the younger forced himself to get up, trying to look threatening. He looked like an angry kitten, but Hongjoong wasn't going to tell him that.

As soon as the younger stood up, the guy in front of him took out another gun, and pointed it at his brother's stomach. Hongjoong really had to admire Yeosang's courage, though. He would have never stood up if it were up to him.

The guy looked a bit scary. Not extremely scary, sure. But his black hair was cut short, and the white strand was a bit more creepy than adorable. In plus, he seemed kind of angry. There was a frown present on his face, and he held those guns with no remorse. The guns didn't seem to especially belong in the boy's hands, but he seemed as if he could pull any of the two triggers at any point, and not feel the tiniest hint of guilt about it.

Finally being able to scan the room, Hongjoong noticed there was a boy,right next to the door. He was way taller than his counterpart, he almost seemed like a giant. He had straight blonde hair, that seemed to be dyed, considering that his dark roots were, indeed, showing. This one was also frowning. What was with these people and frowning? Was it a new trend Hongjoong didn't know about?

But just as he thought that, the taller's boy face broke out into a sunny smile, and he walked towards them, a slight bounce in his step. He kind of looked like a puppy. As he was walking towards them, Hongjoong felt ( more like saw ) Yeosang tense up next to him, and he did too, just a bit. What was this one going to do? Pull a secret knife from his boot and slice their throats open? Hongjoong certainly hoped not. 

But then the big, puppy like boy took one of the guns out of the other's hands, and Hongjoong felt himself relax. 

"Oh come on, Sannie, you're scaring them!!" The taller exclaimed. The black haired one - San, apparently - scoffed, and lowered the other gun silently, handing it to the other.

"They came onto our ship at 3 in the morning, and you expect me to be nice?? Come on, that's just bullshit." San grumbled, playing with the bracelet around his right wrist. Hongjoong had to take a moment to admire the carefully crafted silver band the other was wearing. The design in itself was very, very familiar, but Hongjoong couldn't exactly pinpoint where he knew it from. The taller gasped dramatically at the language his friend ( were the two friends?? Hongjoong supposes they were ) was using.

"Language!" He scolded, and Hongjoong chuckled. The two, who had apparently forgotten he and Yeosang were even there, turned to him.

They scanned both him and his brother up and down, seemingly trying to judge what to do with them. Yeosang was still standing, his shoulders stiff. The younger looked like he was about to start a fight soon, and Hongjoong really hoped that wouldn't happen. But really, he probably looked worse. His hair was probably tangled at this point, and he was sure the red hair dye was already fading away. Ugh, what he wouldn't give for his mom's soap right now. And a hot bubble bath, if possible.

After a few minutes of ( tense ) silence, the taller one of the two smilled. "Hi! I have no idea who you two are, but Captain sent me to collect you two, so that's what I'm doing! I'm Yunho, Jeong Yunho, and this sweetheart over here-" he nudged his friend with his elbow "-is Choi San! Also, I'm really sorry if the gun trick scared you guys, San thought it would be funny!!" He said. He did seem a bit apologetic, but not a lot.

Hongjoong grinned, and stood up, trying to clean the dust off of what was left of his shirt. "I'm Hongjoong!" He introduced himself, and pointed at the boy next to him. "That's my younger brother, Yeosang." He continued.

Yunho looked like he was about to say something, but Yeosang beat him to it, finally opening his mouth. "Where are we?" His brother asked, the boy's bluntness surprising to the two men in front of them. Well, not to Hongjoong. He'd grown up with that boy for 19 years, nothing even came close to surprising him at this point.

San looked at the blonde in disbelief. "Y-you guys seriously don't know where you are?" When Hongjoong nodded, San started laughing.

Yunho looked at them, the disbelief clear on his face. "Treasure? Does Treasure ring any bells??" He asked.

The name sounded so, so familiar. It was like a distant memory, maybe something that his mom said once? Hongjoong tries to recall that conversation. It was about...about…

Wait.

Treasure.

They were on a huge ship.

With guys that carried guns around.

"Shit."

Yunho laughed. "Oh come on, we're not that bad!" He said, smiling.

"You guys are literal pirates." Hongjoong deadpanned, and San laughed.

"That's kind of cool, not gonna lie." Yeosang said. "Do you guys actually know how to shoot a gun?" He asked.

Yunho shrugged, and turned around, walking toward the stairs. 

San took a last look at them before he turned around. "Come on, let's go." He said.

The boys followed the two reluctantly. They knew trying to get away was pointless, especially since they were the ones that put themselves into this mess in the first place. So they just walked, and hoped the captain wasn't going to, you know, kill them.

♚

The captain's name was Park Seonghwa, and he was maybe the prettiest man Yeosang had ever seen.

"So you guys want to tell me you're the Duchess's sons? The ones half the town is already looking for?' He asks, and Yeosang really, really wants to drop to his knees right then and there. But he's got a bit of dignity left, so he doesn't.

Hongjoong nods at his question, and Yeosang figures he should too, but it's like he's stuck, unable to even mutter a word. With one look, the captain's got him pinned down, and it's as if he can't move without the other's permission. He's not sure if he likes it.

There's another guy in the corner of the room he hasn't noticed before he asked the captain something. Yeosang thinks he knows him from somewhere, though. He's very tall, and his red hair is dark, and most certainly dyed. And if we were to judge by the glances Hongjoong keeps sending him every few seconds, his brother seems to know the man well enough.

The two that came to get them are here too. Yunho's sitting on the table, legs crossed, reading a book. Yeosang didn't know it, but the cover looked stunning. On the other hand, San's leaning against the wall on their right, cleaning his nails with his dagger, like one of those villains in fantasy books. 

Yeosang broke out of his trance, realising the conversation around him stopped. They were all waiting for someone to speak. And sadly, it was probably him.

"Uh...what?" He asks again, and hears Hongjoong giggling. The captain looks at him, and raises his eyebrows. 

"I asked, why did you even come here?" He asked again, clearly amused by him not paying attention. 

Oh great, and now he had to explain his whole life story to this asshole. "Just...mom." Yeosang said, really not wanting to even talk to him. Couldn't he have just asked Hongjoong?

"And why exactly should I let you guys on my ship?" The captain asks again, the question clearly directed towards him.

Yeosang just shrugs, and doesn't say a word. 

"Well, uh, maybe because you're so nice and like us enough to let us come with you on your ship?" Hongjoong asks, smiling. Yeosang feels a bit jealous, for some reason. He didn't understand why. The captain was just some guy with a pretty face, not the love of his life.

Before the captain could even open his mouth to respond to her sister, Yunho closed her book with a loud thud.

"Oh, come on, Seonghwa, it's not like they can cause any harm if we let them stay here!!" He said, and, suddenly, Yeosang really wanted to hug him.

"Well, if you actually think about it-" the guy in the back (the guy with the red hair) started, but stopped when Yunho glared at him. In Yeosang's opinion, Yunho wasn't scary. Like, at all. He literally looked like a big, fluffy dog, but who knows, maybe he could be scary.

Seonghwa sighs. "You know what? Sure." He then turns to Yeosang, the playful expression in his eyes confusing the younger. "Don't mess with anything, or I'll throw you into the goddamn sea." He continued. Fucking asshole.

"Isn't that a bit too mean, Captain?" San asked from behind him.

"Do I look like I care?" he bit back, turning to his desk. "Out of my cabin. We sail in an hour. Get your belongings if you need them, we're not coming to get them back." He said to the two. Yeosang hated him so, so much. Ugh, why couldn't they have ended up with a nice pirate captain instead of this self centered asshole?

♔

A few weeks had passed, and Hongjoong found out he really, really enjoyed being at sea. When he was back home, he never really got to travel on boats a lot, since his mom found them dangerous. He loved his mom, of course, but she was just...a bit too overprotective. That's why he and Yeosang ran away, really. At 21, Hongjoong was absolutely not ready to get married to a random noble. He doesn't even remember the man's name.

And then again, there was the problem with the pirate. No, it wasn't like Hongjoong was in love with him or anything, he was just...very, very beautiful. The first time Hongjoong saw him in the captain's cabin, he realised he knew the pirate.

Less than a week ago, he and Yeosang were walking through the town, just buying things. They were just having fun, being children again. Yeosang hadn't seen it, and neither had he. The glint of a carefully crafted iron knife, headed straight for his heart. Hongjoong would have died that day, if it wasn't for him. The pirate didn't even know his name, and yet, he threw himself in front of the knife, effectively shielding Hongjoong from harm. Yeosamg managed to punch that motherfucker in the face, but if it wasn't for the guy - Mingi, his name was Song Mingi - Hongjoong would have died. 

And god, was he pretty.

He just...the best way to describe Mingi was a ball of literal sunshine. He just looked so sweet and innocent, and his smile could light up the entire universe. He also had these adorable eyes, which sparkled when he talked, and god damn it, Hongjoong just really, really wanted to kiss him. And do not get him started on Mingi's voice.

Song Mingi was just...ethereal. A real life angel, sent from the heavens to rescue him. Maybe….maybe he'd get the courage to talk to him one day. Maybe he'd get the courage to kiss the taller ( if consent was given, of course ). Maybe he'd get the chance to know the younger better. Maybe he remembered Hongjoong.

Maybe.

♚

In the three months Yeosang had been on the ship, he had already figured out everything, and everyone. Well, almost everything. There were some topics he didn't understand, and some topics he wasn't allowed to mention. Well, it wasn't like he was allowed to, it's just that no one did. So he just followed their lead. 

There were two topics that no one mentioned. And both had to do with people.

Firstly, don't mention Jongho. Yeosang had absolutely no idea who this Choi Jongho even was, since there was no one on the ship she had met that was called that ( except that he had the same last name as San), but it was a warning from San, that Yeosang got on the first day.

"Don't mention Jongho." San told him.

So, Yeosang didn't. But he was so, so curious about who this 'Jongho' was. Maybe he could ask someone at one point.

Secondly, don't even dare mention Jung Wooyoung. Now, Yeosang knew a bit more about this Wooyoung than about the previously mentioned Jongho, but he still didn't know a lot. Wooyoung had some direct connection with San, but he still didn't know what that connection was. 

The only thing he knows is that Yunho once mentioned him, and the younger had ran out of the room. San didn't cry or anything (at least Yeosang thinks he didn't cry), but he looked extremely sad about it. 

Again, Yeosang was not exactly sure who this Wooyoung was, but maybe an ex lover? 

Yeosang really, really wanted to ask, but it's not like he could just go up to San and ask him. I mean, of course he could, but he wouldn't. Partly because he didn't want to start any unnecessary drama where it wasn't needed, but also because San kind of scared him. Well, maybe 'scared' wasn't the right word. San didn't really scare him, not in the "oh my god i'm so afraid of you" sort of way. Yeosang just had a very, very bad feeling about him. He doesn't exactly know why. He just tried to stay clear of San as much as possible.

A fun fact he noticed in these months was that Hongjoong and the first mate had these cute, puppy like crushes on each other, but neither of them acted on it. They talked, and blushed every time the other opened their mouth, but wouldn't even hold hands or confess. The whole ship had bets over who was going to confess first.

And, if Yeosang may say it, the captain may be hot, but he was literally the biggest asshole. Like, seriously, who ignores someone every time he sees him, like he isn't even on the ship. It's so, so annoying. Who even does that? Yeosang would understand if the guy was like, in love with him, or something, but the guy literally hated his guts, so it wasn't like Yunho and the others were right. 

Seonghwa hated - no, despised - him, and he was absolutely sure of it. 

♔

A few weeks later, Hongjoong was in Yunho's cabin, discussing different subjects, like why Yeosang and Seonghwa had been so god damn friendly lately. 

And somehow, they got to the subject of Mingi. 

"Oh, he totally likes you." Yunho said, not even putting his book down.

"N-No he does not!!" Hongjoong stuttered. (Why was he even stuttering??) Of course he didn't. I mean, yeah, maybe Hongjoong was pretty and all, but Mingi couldn't like him. He probably didn't even remember saving him.

Yunho rolled his eyes, finally putting his book down. "He talked about saving you and how pretty you were every single day before you showed up." He said.

Hongjoong suddenly felt dizzy. "Mingi...remembers me?" He asked. Hongjoong could feel his hands shaking. Sure, sure, maybe he's overreacting. But...if he remembers him...then...maybe….just maybe...he has a chance at winning the pirate's heart.

"Of course he does. Did you think he didn't remember you?" Yunho asked, smiling.

"I mean...he never talked to me about it...and-" Hongjoong starts saying, before he gets cut off.

"Mingi's shy. And he thinks you're too good for him, or something like that. I've been telling him it's not true, but he won't listen." Yunho said, shrugging.

"Oh my god. I...I have to go talk to him!" Hongjoong said, smiling widely. Yunho laughed, and walked out of the cabin, mentioning for Hongjoong to follow him.

Before he could leave, Hongjoong spotted a picture on the wall of the cabin. Curiosity taking over, he walks over, and looks at it.

The picture wasn't anything special. Just an old, worn out polaroid. On it were two boys, that looked around 15, maybe 16. The taller one, with brown hair, had an arm around the other, and was kissing the shorter's forehead. Their smiles were so bright, the picture seemed to be even lighter. Hongjoong realised he knew the taller guy, considering it was the person that owned the cabin he now stood in.

But who was the other boy? And where was he now? 

♚

"Why am I even here, Captain?" He asked, spitting out the title with such venom he was afraid it might have poisoned him. But Seonghwa just laughed at his tone. Self-absorbed bastard.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what I called you in here for." He said, advancing towards the younger with short, calculated steps. The smile on his face makes Yeosang step back, until his back hits the wall. 

He raises his chin up, looking the taller in the eye, trying to be brave. "Do I?" He asked. Yeah, Yeosang knew exactly what he was doing there, and what was about to happen. But it was way more fun this way.

Seonghwa smiles, and grabs Yeosang's chin, quite gently if we were to go by the expression he wore on his face. He kisses him softly, way softer than he should have. Yeosang feels himself melt into the other, and doesn't even think about it twice.

"I hate you so much." He whispers against the taller's lips. The man's perfume was everywhere in the room, and he smelled so sweet, it was addicting. He smelled exactly like chocolate and black coffee, and Yeosang never knew he liked those two smells so much. And yet, they were his favorite smells in the world.

"No you don't, baby." he whispers back, and Yeosang can feel him smile against his lips.

He was right, as always. Yeosang really, really didn't hate him. Quite the opposite, really.

♔

"Do you have any idea where Mingi is?" Hongjoong asks San.

San quickly covered the letter he was writing with his palm, stopping so suddenly the pen scratched the paper, making a sound similar to paper being ripped apart. Hongjoong was sorry about the paper, really.

"Yeah, he should be on the forecastle deck." San said, as if Hongjoong knew what that meant. "Uh, the front of the ship. Above deck." San quickly explained.

Hongjoong turns around, but, right before exiting, he stops, and looks at San again.

"Who are you writing to?" He asks. The question is as innocent as it could be, yet San freezes up, dropping the pen.

"Just...just a friend." San says, smiling. His smile is the most forced one Hongjoong's seen in at least a few years, but he doesn't comment on it. Yeah, maybe he should have. But he just nods, smiles, and turns around, taking the stairs to the upper deck. He has to find Mingi. And if Yunho wasn't lying to him, maybe he indeed has a chance.

He finds Mingi on the deck, staring up at the sun. He's got this little smile on his face that Hongjoong adores, because it makes Mingi look so at ease, so happy. As if he's free of all the burdens life has thrown his way.

And then he looks at Hongjoong, and smiles, just the tiniest bit. He wants to kiss the taller so badly. But he can't. So he walks up next to him, and starts looking up. Hongjoong looks at the clouds, while Mingi's looking at him.

And when Mingi grabs his hand, he doesn't take it away, he just squeezes back. Mingi's hand is big, and it's warm. Hongjoong feels like his hand belongs there, in the taller's. Like it's where it was meant to be.

No words pass between the two. No words are needed. They sit down at one point. Just sit down, on a bench, and look at the sun setting. They look at the stars, too. Hongjoong falls asleep on Mingi's shoulder. But it's not a problem. The taller kisses his forehead, and falls asleep too.

The "i love you"'s didn't need to be said. It was understood, like a secret between them. And they liked it that way.

No one dared disturb them. They were so calm, so happy. The calm before the storm, people say.

They couldn't be more right. 

♚

Two weeks and a day later. The fifth of March.

It was sunny outside. They docked the ship in the morning, to get supplies. They were supposed to leave at sunset.

"Let's walk around town, you guys!" said San, his smile widening with every word. His hands were trembling, and he seemed nervous. Yeosang didn't understand why.

They were just walking through town, each choosing a place to go. They went through different cafes, a cake shop, a bookstore. And then it was San's turn to pick.

"The park." He said immediately, not even thinking twice. Yeosang didn't even think he should find it a bit weird. Why would he? It was just San, and his weird antics.

And then they got there, and were greeted with an army of bodyguards, a smile on each and every single one of their faces. And in the middle, his mother. Still as pretty as ever, yet uncharacteristically silent. There were two men next two her, one of which Yeosang vaguely recognised as Hongjoong's betrothed.

And right next to her mother, there was a man she didn't recognize. He was kind of short, and he had black hair. He was wearing glasses, and was dressed in silks, like the richest dukes and duchesses. The others seemed to recognize him.

Yeosang felt Seonghwa tense next to him, and he saw Mingi grab the hilt of his sword. Yunho, on the other hand, visibly flinched, and turned to San.

"San." Yunho muttered, his tone so disappointed, yet so sad. "Was the letter you were writing for you to...sell us out to your....your boyfriend?" He asked, hesitating on the word boyfriend. "Was it worth it? Selling out your best and oldest friends, just so Wooyoung would be happy, and get richer?" Yunho asked, voice shaking.

San scoffed. "It's for both him, and me. You wouldn't understand." He said. No one dared speak a word, not even Yeosang's mother.

"Does he even really love you?" Yunho asked. "Is he more important than me? Than Seonghwa? Mingi? The guys? The crew?" He asked, listing the names as if he had memorised them.

"He loves me. He told me he loves me." San said.

"Is he more important?" Yunho repeated, like a broken record stuck in a CD player.

"I'd choose him over you any day." San said, as if it explained everything. "Oh, don't be so shocked. You'd do the same if Jongho was still alive. But guess what? He isn't." San said, and got closer to his friend. "He's dead, Yunho. And you were the one that killed him, and you know that very well." San said, and Yunho slapped him.

He looked shocked at his own action, and opened his mouth quickly, probably to apologize.

Yunho wasn't even given the chance to say sorry.

The gunshot was way too loud. Too sudden. So sudden, Yeosang didn't even realise what happened. The thud of a body hitting the ground woke him up, right out of his daze. 

He didn't know if he wanted to cry, or shout. The loud, blood-curdling scream came from Hongjoong, he thinks. Yeosang tries to open his mouth, but it's as if the blood clogging his friend's throat is suddenly in his. He can barely breathe as he falls to his knees, trying so hard not to cry. He moves towards the body slowly, as if Yunho might wake up.

Yunho doesn't. He's already lost so, so much blood, the bullet hitting his heart with a deadly accuracy. Yeosang's hands are stained red now, and the blood is getting everywhere. He wants to scream, he wants to shout. But he can't even open his mouth. There's hot tears running down his cheeks, but he vaguely registers them.

He wants all this to be a dream. He wants to wake up in his cabin, back on Treasure. He wants Yunho back.

And then his mom is next to him and Hongjoong, pulling them up. She's kissing Yeosang's forehead, and Hongjoong's cheek. She's telling them how much she missed them, how much she missed her kids. She starts pulling them away from the body, talking animatedly, as if a person hadn't just be killed in front of her.

Yeosang hears a shout that sounds like his name. He doesn't turn around fast enough. 

This gunshot seems even louder than the first.

He turns around in time to see Seonghwa's frightened face, the eyes he loved so much open, and so, so scared. He's clutching his chest, blood seeping through the white shirt he was wearing, staining the cotton. He doesn't seem like he's in pain. He just gently, quietly falls to his knees. 

He looks up at Yeosang through his eyelashes, and smiles. He's unable to move again, stuck in place, in disbelief. Seonghwa mounths a last, silent "I love you", before his body falls to the ground.

This time, the scream came from him. He vaguely registers Hongjoong's loud sobbing, screaming at Mingi to get out, to away from there. He doesn't register San's crying. His eyes can only focus on Seonghwa's face, eyes still open. It's like he's looking up, looking towards the sky.

'He looks so peaceful.' Yeosang thinks, before he bursts out crying. He clamps his hands over his mouth, in hope it'll muffle the sobs, but it doesn't. If anything, it just makes them louder.

It's not fair.

•

His mom smiles, and forces her sons up, the two still crying. She guides them to the carriage, and gets them in without any effort. She signals the guards to clean up the mess those two disgusting pirates made, and signals for Wooyoung and the rest to go in the other carriage.

"Oh, my darlings, it's fine." She says, and takes their hands. "I know those pirates kidnapped you. There's no need to fake cry over them. They're gone now. They can't hurt you any longer." She says, smiling serenely. She thinks she's fixed everything.

But Hongjoong keeps crying, even louder. Yeosang looks at her through his tears, with so much anger the Duchess almost flinches. But she chooses to ignore both.

"You'll be safe now, darlings. I'll just make sure to never let you out of my sight again." She says, and both the boys think their mother's smile in that moment is the most terrifying thing they have ever experienced.

♔♚

"They're really gone, aren't they?" The oldest asks.

The younger nods. 

There's no tears anymore. Their eyes are dry. 

"And there's no way we're getting them back." The younger one continues.

It's become something like a mantra at this point. Because every morning when they wake up, they think they're back on the ship. That Yunho will come in, telling them to get up, to come eat breakfast with everyone. That Seonghwa would come greet all of them, cold and serious, only to kiss Yeosang's forehead with such gentleness it was almost scary. That Hongjoong and Mingi would hold hands under the table the whole time, everyone halfheartedly pretending not to notice.

And it hurt so, so badly. To wake up, and go one more day without the others. To go through the day without hearing Yunho's voice, or Seonghwa's dry laugh, or Mingi's silly jokes.

"I miss them…" the younger one whispered. Even a whisper seemed too loud in the quiet house they called their home.

"Me too Sangie...me too…" the older whispers back, and opens his arms, hoping his brother would come hug him.

He does, of course. And if they cry themselves to sleep that night again, no one except them needs to know. 

Why?

Because the only people that would understand them, that would be there for them? They're gone. And they're never coming back.

• • •


End file.
